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Roy immigrated to the US in 1973, from Damascus. We met in 1977, and July 10, 1981, begins our journey together. We had a Church wedding, and were blessed with three children over the next six years. While Roy was building his own business, in pursuit of the American dream, I, a stay-at-home mom, kept busy with three little ones.
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As the kids grew, we ventured into restaurants on a pretty regular basis, kids in tow. As time went on, dining out became a new pastime, and as the company grew, so did our taste for finer fare. With that and entertaining for Roy’s business, we were off to a running start.
We of course were delighted to discover Middle Eastern restaurants in and around New York City; for the most part doing very well, some better than the next. Delicious food, fond memories, but they didn’t rise to the level of sophistication we knew they could offer.
September 1, 2001: we relocated to Palm Beach County. After a 29-year commute to Manhattan from our various addresses in New Jersey, Roy opened an insurance agency in the historic Comeau building on Clematis Street, in downtown West Palm Beach. He loves it!
With a keen interest in our new surroundings, particularly the Clematis street revitalization project, we find it very exciting to witness visionaries opening shop, and being part of the transformation. New ventures are a risky business and require inordinate amounts of courage, working capital, and out-of-the-box thinking; howbeit the rewards can be enormous.
With the flood of media coverage on the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, the current enthusiasm for local business development, and the drive to build something unique-- something wonderful, we knew it was time. It was our dream to open a Middle Eastern eatery with an upbeat, contemporary, atmosphere; delicious, healthful, Mediterranean cuisine; and Syrian hospitality at its finest. Hence, Leila was born. |
